By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
FRESH INCENTIVES for academic excellence have been introduced with a new national laureate yearly prize programme offering doctoral students up to N20 million for outstanding research in tertiary institutions nationwide.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced the initiative yesterday and described it as a major step toward rewarding academic excellence and positioning research as a key driver of national development.
He stated that exceptional theses and dissertations would be recognised yearly, with PhD winners receiving N20 million prizes alongside national honours.
Master’s degree winners will receive N10 million, while undergraduate dissertation winners will take home at least N5 million.
A statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the ministry, Folasade Boriowo, noted that the initiative is designed to elevate the status of academic research in Nigeria and stressed that scholarly work should attract the same level of prestige and reward as other high-profile sectors.
Alausa said the programme signals a shift in national priorities by placing intellectual achievement and innovation at the centre of recognition, adding that students’ research could serve as practical solutions to Nigeria’s economic and industrial challenges.
He added that the initiative would be funded by the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank and its partners, ensuring sustainability without placing additional burden on government finances.
The minister said a 10-member National Laureate Prize Committee (NLPC) chaired by Prof. Abubakar Sambo has been inaugurated to oversee submissions, screening and selection of winners nationwide.
The programme is expected to begin with a call for entries in May 2026, with evaluations scheduled between June and September, while winners will be honoured at a National Laureate Gala in November in Abuja.
The government stated that the initiative marks a new era where academic research is not only a requirement for graduation but a pathway to national recognition, innovation and substantial financial reward.
Meanwhile, a results driven model has been adopted for the N12 billion National Digital Economy Research Clusters programme to ensure that funding and support are tied to measurable outputs and policy relevance.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this yesterday at a media briefing in Abuja.
His remarks follow an announcement on his X handle inviting academic institutions to participate in the research clusters as part of efforts to integrate rigorous evidence-based research into digital economy policy.
He stated that the three-year initiative will link funding to measurable outcomes and policy relevance, with roughly N1.5 billion allocated to each thematic cluster.
Tijani noted that the clusters are designed to generate practical insights that directly inform policy while strengthening Nigeria’s research capacity.
He said each cluster will be supported by three post doctoral fellows and three PhD students per professor and will collaborate with foreign researchers to expand capacity and funding.
Earlier, the Minister of Education said the clusters would position universities as engines of innovation and talent development.
He said students would gain skills in software development, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and Information Technology automation.
“Our universities must move from just places where theoretical education has been given. They must be where the capacity of millions of youths is built,” he said.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that Alausa added that participants would have access to professional certifications from Google, IBM and Microsoft, stating that the programme will stimulate entrepreneurship and economic growth by linking research to practical solutions.
“It’s not just about the 200 researchers. It’s the cascading effect that will happen afterwards. It won’t stop here. It will just continue to grow with what we’re starting today,” he said.
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